The latest example of Oda’s “champagne” tastes, at our expense, is exactly what is wrong with governments today — too many elected officials treating the public purse as if it were their own.

As has been widely reported, during Oda’s trip to London, England last year in her capacity as Minister of International Cooperation, she made a $16 orange juice purchase, spent $3,000 on limo rides and enjoyed a three-night stay at the five-star plus Savoy hotel, all on the taxpayers’ dime.

Only after the controversy was exposed by The Canadian Press, was Oda shamed into paying the money back for her fancy transportation and the $1,300 bill to upgrade herself from one expensive hotel to an even more expensive one.

One Liberal MP suggested the change in hotels was so she could have a room in which she could smoke.

Oda has racked up more scandals in the past few years than accomplishments in her various cabinet portfolios.

In 2006, she hastily cancelled a fundraiser in her honour organized by a lobbyist for the broadcasting industry.

That was at a time when she was heritage minister, responsible for overseeing a review of the federal government’s television policies.

That same year, Oda paid back to taxpayers over $2,200 of the $5,500 in limo expenses she incurred while attending the Junos in Halifax.

In 2008, the NDP accused her of not disclosing $17,000 in other limo expenses.

The question has to be asked — what is up with her penchant for limos? And what kind of limos is she riding around in that cost so much?

Remember back in 2006 when the first Harper cabinet was sworn in at Rideau Hall and they all showed up in minivans, cars and taxis? Most of us thought that signaled a new, common touch approach to government. Clearly Oda has forgotten that.

Last year, she was embroiled in another controversy about a doctored document denying funding to KAIROS, a Toronto-based faith group that supports various social programs around the world and has called for an independent Palestinian state alongside an independent Israeli state.

As for the handling of her latest screw-up, Oda again failed.

She should’ve proactively disclosed the costs of her hotel switch, limo rides and that she had already reimbursed taxpayers. Instead we had to endure a lame apology after she was exposed, which is meaningless.

Oda, and all politicians (and bureaucrats) should remember Canadians are angry about her $16 orange juice bill because they can relate to paying (out of their own pockets) exorbitant amounts for goods and services at hotels.

The “entitled to my entitlements” attitude of then Liberal cabinet minister David Dingwall, or the pizza party from Liberal MP Joe Volpe, are other examples where average Canadian taxpayers shake their heads with disgust.

Yes, billion-dollar gun registries, and F-35 cost overruns make for great headlines, but most people can’t relate to billions of dollars.

But they sure can relate to those already being very well paid from the public purse (as a federal cabinet minister Oda receives an annual salary of $233,247) billing taxpayers for $1.29 for chewing gum.

Shamefully, Oda isn’t and won’t be the last politician or bureaucrat to spend taxpayers’ money so frivolously on their own indulgences.

My former colleagues at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, who hand out the annual “Teddy” awards which highlight the best of the worst when it comes to the blatant waste of taxpayers’ money, have a new lifetime achievement nominee in Oda.

Whenever a scandal erupts, the favourite talking point for the opposition is to instantly demand a resignation.

In some cases, this is warranted. This is one of them.

As a repeat offender, Oda should be canned, but will most likely be moved in the next cabinet shuffle.

Since the prime minister won’t fire her, her constituents should in the next election because accountability means nothing until someone loses their job.